Choices
by Arya Daeriel
Summary: I killed him, it was all my fault. I killed him. If only I had chosen the antidote for the blue flower's poison, he would still be alive. I killed him. I'm sorry Halt, I'm sorry for making the wrong choice.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Don't own, never have, never will.**

**A/N: Well, let's just say that I had the desire to write something angsty after watching an epic movie called Hero where everybody dies, reading Halt's Peril and being disappointed at the lack of angst and torture, and to top it off listening to the soundtracks from the Ranger's Apprentice site. So I was inspired to write this little story about what would have happened if Will had chosen the antidote for Halt's poison. By the way, as I am writing this I am listening to the soundtracks for Ranger's Apprentice while writing this so they may affect the fic. Enjoy!**

_And that night, around midnight, after hours spent staring wordlessly into the dying coals of the fire, Will made his decision._

They would take a chance and use the white flower's antidote. Will prayed that this was the right decision, for if it wasn't it would cost Halt his would never be able to forgive himself. He walked over to Malcolm's tent from his place by the fire, entered, and carefully woke him.

"We will use the antidote for the white flower's poison," Will told him when he was awake.

"Are you sure, Will?" Malcolm asked.

"I am sure. If we don't try Halt will surely…." Will couldn't bring himself to say 'die'. He knew only too well that his decision may be the wrong one and Halt would die.

Malcolm started bustling around making preparations for the antidote. In all of this, Horace awoke.

"What's going on? Why are you both up? Is the Genesovian back?" Horace asked immediately alert and looking around.

"No, he is not back. I have made my decision."

Horace immediately understood what was going on and he dearly hoped that this would not be the end of Halt's life.

When the antidote was prepared, Malcolm settled himself down beside Halt so that he could inject it.

"How long will it be before it takes effect?" Will asked after nothing had happened several minutes after the antidote had been given to Halt.

"Not too long, either way," Malcolm said. He felt guilty saying 'either way', but it was the truth. Whether Halt would live or die would be apparent at about the same time, or at least that is what he had been told by the Genesovian he had learned about the poison from.

Halt, who's breathing had been getting shallower in the past few hours, breathing evened out and became deeper.

"He's going to be alright," Will sighed in relief. Halt was going to be alright. He was going to live. Will let himself relax his tensed up muscles.

"Shall I make some coffee?" Horace asked tentatively. He could see that Will wasn't going back to bed until Halt actually woke up.

"Please do," Will said. As the coffee cooked, Will let the aroma fill his nose, relaxing him further. Everything was going to be alright. Then why was he still so worried? The coffee had just come to a boil when it happened. Halt started thrashing around, his breathing erratic.

Malcolm, who had been putting away his herbs dazed over immediately.

"What's wrong with him?" Will asked Malcolm. "You said that we would know whether he was going to live or die!"

"I don't know!" Malcolm said, frantically trying to figure out what the problem was. Just as soon as he had started thrashing, Halt stopped. Malcolm could tell something was wrong though. Halt's face was paler and his breathing shallower than ever. There was only one explanation. The problem would be telling Will.

"Will…" Malcolm started.

"I chose wrong, didn't I?" Will said with almost no emotion. "He's dying."

Malcolm could do nothing but nod and say, "I'm sorry, Will."

Will sat down beside Halt and took his hand in his own, determined to be with him in his final moments. Malcolm and Horace effectively faded into the background without the use of a ranger cloak.

"I'm sorry, Halt," Will whispered as the life slowly ebbed from Halt's body. "I'm sorry for letting you get hurt, I'm sorry for choosing wrong." Will had to force himself to keep from breaking down in tears.

"It's not your fault, Will."

Will jumped when he heard Halt's voice, weak and ragged speaking to him.

"Tell Pauline I love her," Halt said.

Tears came to Will's eyes and threatened to spill over. "I will, Halt. I'm sorry."

Halt just quirked the corners of his lips, the closest he could come to a smile, and looked up into the starry night sky. His eyes glazed over, never to see again. And thus Halt, one of the greatest of the Ranger Corps, died. Tears now flowed freely down Will's cheeks. He threw back his head and howled into the night air. His head fell back down he rested his head on Halt's chest. The man who was his mentor, the closest person he had to a father, was now dead.

Silent tears fell down Horace and Malcolm's cheeks. Though Horace had not been as close to Halt as Will and Malcolm hadn't known him long, the loss was like a stab in the heart for them. They quietly retreated into their tents, giving Will some time to grieve.

Will stayed sitting there by Halt, his head of his chest for a long time. The same thoughts kept running through his head. _It was my fault, all my fault. I killed him. If I had just chosen the blue flower. Or hunted down the Genesovian and forced him to tell me, Halt would still be alive. I did it, I killed him. What will I tell Pauline? I killed him. It's all my fault, I killed him._

**Well, what do you think? Did you know that I actually started crying while writing that? This was actually meant to be a one shot, but I decided that it could be longer. Should I write more or just leave it like that? Did any of you, my loyal readers, start crying while reading it? Please review and tell me!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Don't own, never have, never will.**

**A/N: I must be spoiling you! An update in so little time! Anywho, thank you to all my reviewers! *cackles* I made so many people cry! That's something I've always wanted to do! Write a fic that makes somebody cry! And now I have done that! Now, on with chapter 2 of Choices!**

When dawn broke Will could still be found in the same spot, grieving over the loss of his mentor. Horace came out of his tent and went up to him.

"Will?" Horace touched Will's shoulder enacting no response. "Will, we need to take him back to Redmont."

"I know…" came the reply.

"We should move out before the Genesovian comes back," Horace said. Will stood up to get Tug ready, exposing Halt's body. The sight of it saddened Horace greatly.

While Will saddled Tug, Horace went to wake Malcolm.

"We are going back to Redmont," Horace told him. "We can leave you in your wood on our way through."

"No need, I'm coming with you," Malcolm said.

"But why?" Horace asked.

"I didn't know Halt well, but I know he was a great man. I want to be there at least for his funeral. And he," Malcolm jerked his head towards Will, "he's going to need some help getting over Halt's death."

Will moved as though in a trance as he saddled Tug. The same thoughts as the night before running through his head again and again. When he had finished, Horace and Malcolm had secured Halt to Abelard. Tears threatened to come to Will's eyes when he saw his mentor, dead and cold, tied to his horse, unable to ride it again.

He quickly turned his head away.

"We should get going then," Horace said. "Malcolm's going to come with us to Redmont."

Will just nodded his head and mounted Tug. He truly was afraid to speak. Afraid that if he opened his mouth all that would come out were wails of grief.

The company road hard to Redmont and made it approximately half way there the first day. They then stopped to set up camp.

"I'll take first watch," Will said once they had eaten. Those were four of the few words he had said that day.

"No, I will," Horace said. "You need your sleep seeing as you didn't get any last night."

Surprisingly enough, Will didn't argue but just lay down on his bedroll and went to sleep and he dreamed….

_Will was standing in the middle of his cabin at Redmont. Suddenly Halt appeared in the doorway._

_"Halt?" Will asked uncertainly. Was he seeing a ghost? Was Halt coming back to haunt him for the choice he had made that cost Halt his life?_

_"Who else, boy?" Halt snarled._

_Halt hadn't called him boy since he was an apprentice almost 6 years ago. Six years ago when Halt had still been alive…._

_"Yes, unless you're wondering, I'm dead."_

_"And it's my fault. It was my choice that killed you. I chose wrong."_

_"Obviously, boy. It was all your fault. All your fault."_

_All my fault, Will thought. All my fault, all my fault. Halt seemed to multiply before his very eyes. And then all the Halts started chanting, _

_"All you fault, all your fault, all your fault."_

Will woke up with a start, the chanting still ringing in his ears, tears running down his cheeks. _All your fault. _And it was true, it was all his fault.

"Will? Why are you awake?" Horace asked from his place by the dying embers of the fire when he saw Will awake.

"It's all my fault," Will said.

"What?" Horace asked confused.

"It's all my fault. That Halt died. He died because of my choice. My wrong choice."

"No, it isn't your fault, Will! Never think that! Halt would never hold you accountable for his death."

Oh, but in Will's dreams, Halt did indeed hold Will accountable for his death.

"Go back to sleep. I'll wake you when it's your watch," Horace told him.

Will lay back on his bedroll and again fell asleep, but this time he did not dream.

The next day they continued on toward Redmont. When they had almost reached Redmont, Will stopped.

Horace looked at him curiously, "Why have you stopped?"

"Today is the day of the Gathering," WIll said. "I need to inform the Ranger Corps of Halt's passing. Continue on to Redmont, I will join you tomorrow."

Horace understood, "Alright, we'll see you tomorrow then."

They then parted ways. When Will was out of sight, Malcolm asked, "Gathering?"

Horace started to explain.

Will and Tug trod along the path to the Gathering Grounds. When they had almost reached the Grounds, Tug's ears perked up. Will heard it too, the sound of another horse. Since Tug gave no sign that it was an enemy approaching, Will guessed that the person approaching was a ranger, most likely Gilan.

The brought around a new line of worry. What would he tell Gilan? Who would Gilan take it? He would of course blame him as he should. How could he tell Gilan that his former master was…. dead?

Gilan came into view and immediately waved to Will.

"Will!" he called. "Where's Halt? How was your time in Hibernia?"

Will didn't answer for a moment, "Halt is…. " Will couldn't tell him. "I'll tell you at the Gathering."

Gilan could tell something was wrong. The hood of Will's cloak was back and he could see pale lines streaking through the dirt on Will's face. Tear tracks. Will's eyes, always a warm brown. like coffee, were now dark and cold. Something was terribly wrong. He didn't press the matter though.

"Alright, let's go then!" Gilan said.

The two rode in silence to the Gathering Grounds. When they reached it, Crowley came out of his tent to greet them.

"Hullo, Will! Gilan!" Crowley then realized who was missing. "Where's Halt?" he asked looking questioningly at Will.

"Please call the ranger's together for a meeting," Will said.

_Something is wrong, _Crowley thought, but nonetheless called the rangers together.

Will looked at the assembled rangers for several moments before saying, "Halt is dead."

**And there you have chapter 2 of Choices! I hope you liked it! I swear I'm spoiling you! Two updates in two days! Anywho, I hope you enjoyed it! Is it sad and angst enough? Did you cry? Please review! Or I may just have to kill off will too!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Don't own, never have, never will. I also don't own the things from Halt and Crowley's past. They belong to Spookisapuppy.**

**A/N: Now I know I'm spoiling you all! But angst is just so addictive! And I mean seriously addictive! *cackles* Now let us see the rangers reaction! I wonder what Gilan will do when he hears...**

_Will looked at the rangers for a few moments before saying, "Halt is dead."_

Shocked gasps came from the assembled rangers. Halt dead? The larger than life hero dead? It couldn't be! Halt was always the person who survived! But it was true, wasn't it? The legendary ranger was dead. Crowley and Gilan too were shocked, but Gilan more so as he had once been Halt's apprentice just as Will had.

For Gilan the same thoughts as the other rangers went through his head, but there were also personal feelings. Halt had always been there. He had still been his mentor even after he had graduated and Will had become an apprentice. Now he understood what was wrong with Will. It had been so obvious, yet he had not been able to figure it out.

"How?" Gilan whispered. That was all he could get out. Sadness was clutching at his chest making it hard to speak.

Will closed his eyes for a moment then said, "It was my fault. Halt was poisoned by a Genesovian assassin and there were two antidotes for two different poisons with the same affects. If the wrong antidote was administered, he would die. I had to choose. I chose wrong. I'm sorry."

"No Will, it was not your fault!" Crowley immediately said. Of course it wasn't Will's fault. It could have been the same result if Gilan or Halt himself had chosen the antidote. And Halt certainly would never hold it against Will…. if he had been alive. Crowley thought back to all those years of being apprentices to Jared. He remembered the time that he had to force Halt to go to the dance but never made it and instead helped a pregnant woman. He remembered when Halt had first met Pauline. Thinking of those memories and knowing that Halt was dead made a lump come to Crowley's throat.

Will shook his head. Crowley was wrong, it was his fault. It was his choice that had killed Halt. Will saw that Crowley's eyes were distant, then a flicker of pain flitted across his face. Will guessed that Crowley was remembering some of his times with Halt. Will then turned to Gilan, almost terrified of Gilan's reaction.

He saw what he expected to see, pain and sadness at his former mentor's loss. There was something else though, anger. Anger towards those who had killed Halt. And anger towards Will for making the choice that decided his fate.

Anger seemed to bubble up inside Gilan replacing the sadness he had felt at first, melting the sadness that made it hard to speak. The anger was directed at the Genesovian assassins, but it was also directed at Will. How could he? His choice caused Halt's death! Will was as much responsible for Halt's death as the assassin that poisoned him! And here Will was telling him that he was sorry. Sorry! Sorry couldn't bring back Halt! Sorry didn't mean that he hadn't had a hand in Halt's death.

Gilan finally let his anger be known, "No, Crowley, Will is right, it was his fault! It's his fault that Halt is dead as much as it is the assassins!"

The entire Ranger Corps, still trying to digest this shocking news were shocked even more by Gilan's outburst. The rangers were a tightly nit group and they all knew that Will and Gilan were like brothers and Halt like their father. They couldn't believe that Gilan was accusing Will of killing Halt.

"I know Gilan," Will said sadly. He too was shocked that Gilan blamed him, but he knew that he should have expected it. After all, it was his fault. "I'm sorry."

"Does sorry mean that Halt isn't dead?" Gilan asked, his anger growing. "Does sorry bring Halt back? No, it doesn't!"

Will felt tears prick his eyes again for what felt like the tenth time that day. Gilan's words were true, but they still hit him like a stab with a knife.

Crowley was appalled. How could Gilan say such things? It wasn't Will's fault. It never had been and it never would be. If anything it was the Genesovian's fault. Crowley saw Gilan open his mouth to continue his tirade, but before he could do so, Crowley said, "Enough! I will not have you throwing insults at Will, and Will I will not have you continuing to blame yourself. Gilan, go back to your tent. Will, await me in mine."

The two rangers did as they were told, Gilan throwing glares over his shoulder at Will as he left.

Crowley then addressed the Ranger Corps.

"As you might have gathered, Ranger Halt is now dead. His death is a great loss to the Corps and will be mourned by all." Crowley bowed his head and the rangers did so as well. After several seconds of silence, Crowley lifted his head. "A funeral shall be held at Redmont, I'm sure. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to speak to Will."

"Will?" Crowley said when he entered his tent.

Will was sitting with his back to the entrance, but he turned when Crowley spoke his name. His face was stoic. To Crowley it looked as though Will was past the stage of mourning with tears.

"Will, where is Halt's body?"

"Horace is taking it back to Redmont," WIll said with no emotion.

"You know that Halt's death isn't your fault."

Will shook his head, "But it is Crowley. You heard what Gil said. Everything he said was true."

"No, it isn't. Gilan wasn't thinking straight when he said those things. He was shocked and sad."

Again Will shook his head, "Gilan was thinking perfectly straight. He had every right to say those things seeing as they were true."

Crowley sighed. Convincing Will that it wasn't his fault was going to be harder than he thought. Maybe if he talked to Gilan….

"Will, I still don't think it was your fault and I will never think that it was your fault." Crowely then left his tent and headed for Gilan's.

"Go away, Crowley," Gilan said before Crowley had a chance to announce his presence. His back like Will's, was turned away from the entrance to the tent.

"You always were good at knowing when people were trying to sneak up on you."

"Crowley, I don't want to listen to you try to convince me that it wasn't Will's fault. We both know it is and you are deluding yourself by thinking otherwise," Gilan said, ignoring Crowley's attempt at humor.

"No, Gilan, you are wrong. It was not Will's fault."

"Yes it was, Crowley!" Gilan now turned to face him and Crowley could clearly see the tears tracks running down his face. "If it weren't for Will's choice Halt might still be with us!"

Halt's death was ripping apart the two rangers. A rip that would never be bale to be repaired. _Oh Halt, if only you hadn't died…._

**And there you have chapter three! Was it angsty enough? Do you like Gilan's reaction? Will Gilan ever stop blaming Will? Will Will be able to stop blaming himself? Will Crowley be able to bring peace between the two rangers before it's too late? Review to find out!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Don't own, never have, never will.**

**A/N: Well, here is the last chapter you're going to get for the next week. I am going to visit my grandma who doesn't have internet, though how she can live without it I'll never know. The chapter may be short because I need to go to bed semi-early because my flight leaves at 11:15 which means I need to be at the airport by 9:45 and it takes 2 hours to get there which means my dad will be waking me up at about 7:00 which over all means that I'm going to try to get more than 4 hours of sleep tonight. Anywho, enjoy the chapter!**

Will remained in Crowley's tent until well past midnight that night, not moving, not doing anything. Crowley had come in to try to talk him out of blaming himself again, but to no avail. Will just knew that it was true. That Halt's death really was his fault. Well after Crowley was asleep, Will slipped out of his tent.

The Gathering Grounds were empty, all the rangers were now tucked away in their tents. Will walked across the dewy grass, staring up at the stars. It was a clear night and each star shone brightly in it's place. He could feel the dew of the grass soaking his feet as he had neglected to wear his boots. He walked to the top of a knoll just above where the tents were and stared up at the stars.

He was remembering times from his apprenticeship. The first time he had tried coffee and had to put honey in it to make it taste good. The first time he shot his bow. The time when Halt had given him a full longbow. When Halt had come for him in Skandia and all those times he had comforted him because of the nightmares he had for months after that ordeal.

He remembered all those times he and Halt had just sat in front of the fire in his cabin drinking coffee and just talking. They would never be able to do that again. A lone tear slipped down his cheek, sparkling in the starlight.

"Thinking about how you killed Halt?" a cold voice said from behind him. Will jumped and turned around to face Gilan.

"No, I… I was remembering my apprenticeship with him," Will said. "I know it was my fault, Gil. Please, don't rub it in more!"

"Oh, so I should just forget about it? Just forget that you kill Halt?"

"No, I mean, yes! I mean, oh I don't know!"

"You killed him Will, there's no escaping that!"

"I know Gil! Just stop it! You're acting like I wanted to kill him!" Will's anger was rising. Yes, Halt's death was his fault, but it wasn't like he had wanted it to happen!

"Really? You mean you didn't plan it?" Gilan too was letting his anger get the better of him, but what he said was much worse than what Will had said.

"Planned it? Planned it? Of course I didn't plan it! I loved Halt like he was my father! I would never want him dead!" Will was yelling now.

Hearing the commotion, the some of the rangers had awoken and come out of their tents, Crowley included.

"And I'm supposed to believe that? Believe that you aren't a… a murderer?" Gilan yelled at WIll, oblivious to the shocked gasps this statement caused.

"Gilan! Stop this at once!" Crowley said sharply.

"Stay out of this, Crowley! This is none of your business!" Gilan said.

Will himself was speechless. Halt's death was his fault, but did that mean he was a murderer?

"Gil… " he started.

"Don't Gil me! Get out of here! Go and never come back! If I ever see you again, I will kill you!"

"Gilan! Enough!" Crowley said, more loudly this time.

Gilan ignored him. "Leave! Now!" Gilan gave Will a shove in the direction of the dark forest. Will stumbled.

"Now! Go away and never come back!"

Will gave one last look at the Ranger Corps and fled into the woods.

"Gilan…. how could you?" Crowley asked, shocked.

"I could very easily to a murderer!" Gilan said and shoved past him to get back to his tent. "And leave me alone!" He said when a Robert tried to say something to him.

**xxx**

Will had been running for some time now. Tears that had been delayed for a long time now streaked down his face. He stumbled and fell, bringing his hands out in front of him to keep himself from doing a faceplant. The jagged edge of a rock dug into his palm. He couldn't see it, but he knew that it had broken the skin. He didn't care though. Could what Gilan had said been true? Was he really a murderer? Will didn't know. All he knew is that he couldn't go back. Not now that Gilan's threat had been set.

Will made no attempt to rise from where he had fallen. He had lain there for a long time when he felt a hand on his shoulder. If he had been standing up he would have jumped three feet in the air. He hadn't heard anyone coming.

"WIll?"

It was Crowley. No wonder Will hadn't heard him, Crowley was a master and moving without a sound.

"I can't go back, Crowley," Will said sadly.

"Yes you can. Gilan will see sense," came the reply.

"No he won't. You heard him, he said he'd kill me if I came back. He would never accept me again even if he didn't threaten to kill me."

"I was afraid you'd say that, so I brought these."

Will turned around to face Crowley and saw that he had his longbow and knives. Will took them from him, grateful that Crowley had brought them. Not having his weapons would be a bad thing if he ran into something or someone that didn't have good intentions.

"What will I do now?" Will asked. Halt's funeral wouldn't be for a week at the least and he didn't want to go to Redmont just yet.

"I thought that maybe you could deal with a group of bandits that have been ravaging the countryside," Crowley said. "I didn't think you'd want to go to Redmont and be sucked into funeral preparations."

"Where will I be going then?" WIll asked.

"The bandits are rumored to be camped here along the Fluit River **(1) **," Crowley said pulling out a map. "I will try to make Gilan see sense while you're gone."

"What if he's right, Crowley? What if I am a murderer? I know Halt's death was my fault, but I never thought of myself as a murderer!"

"_Never _think that, Will! First of all as I've told you before, Halt's death was not your fault, and even if it was, you would not be a murderer."

"Thank you Crowley, for everything," Will said. "Well, I'd better be off to get rid of those bandits."

There was a dangerous gleam in Will's eyes and Crowley pitied all who Will came across. Will still hadn't stopped blaming himself, but he may be getting closer to accepting it wasn't his fault. The only problem now was Gilan. Crowley knew that Gilan didn't really blame Will that much. He couldn't blame Will that much. If only he could get him to see that before it was too late.

**1) This river is of my own invention. It does not exist in Araluen as far as I know.**

**Well, will Gilan manage to see the error of his ways before it is too late? Hm, I don't know… Will Will have to get into some terrible predicament before Gilan stops blaming him? All very good questions. Now as for answers, reviews shall be needed for that!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Don't own, never have, never will.**

**A/N: Okay, I'm updating, I'm updating! I just got back from by grandma's 18 hours ago so I haven't had much time. I would have updated last night but a little plot bunny attacked me and made me write another Ranger's Apprentice fic called Deadly Ice. Anywho, I'm finally revealing what will happen next in this dramatic little tragic fic!**

When Crowley got back to the Gathering Grounds, he immediately went to Gilan's tent. When he entered, Gilan stood up from where he had been sitting on the ground and the two of them just stood, looking at each other.

"How could you, Gilan?" Crowley finally asked. Gilan made no move to respond, so Crowley continued, "We both know that it wasn't Will's fault. I know that your former mentor just died and you need someone to blame, but for heaven's sake, don't blame Will."

"What am I supposed to do then, Crowley?" Gilan asked, speaking at last. "It was his choice that killed Halt."

"If it had been you that chose, the same thing could have happened."

"No it wouldn't! I would have chosen right! Or I would have found some way to figure out which poison it was!"

Crowley opened his mouth to tell Gilan that he couldn't have known which poison to choose anymore than Will would have, but Gilan stopped him.

"Just leave, Crowley. I don't want to hear you telling me that I could have made the same choice."

Crowley could do nothing but leave. Gilan still wouldn't see sense. Hopefully that would change soon though.

**Meanwhile, back in Redmont…**

When Horace and Malcolm rode up to Redmont bearing Halt's body Pauline and Alyss immediately ran out to greet them. They stopped though upon seeing the stretcher with the blanket covered body of Halt. Though they couldn't see who, they knew one of the rangers had died because neither Halt nor Will was with Horace and Malcolm.

"What happened?" Alyss asked, dreading the response.

"Hello, Lady Alyss, it is good to see you again," Malcolm said. He too was dreading responding to Alyss' question.

"It is good to see you too, Malcolm, but what…."

It was Horace who answered this time, "Lady Pauline?"

Pauline looked up, guessing what Horace was going to say the moment before he said it.

Seeing that Pauline knew that Halt was dead, Horace just said, "I'm sorry, Pauline."

Her worst fears confirmed, Pauline began to sob. Alyss quickly put an arm around her shoulders, but she too was saddened greatly by this news.

When Pauline had calmed down slightly, they went to visit Baron Arald to deliver the news. Word of Halt's death spread through the kingdom like wildfire after that. It was the talk of the townspeople everywhere that Halt, one of the most heroic rangers, had died.

**Along the Fluit River...**

The bandits Will had been sent to 'deal' with were fairly easy to find. They were camped as Crowley had said along the bank of the Fluit Will found them they were in the middle of roasting a lamb, no doubt taken from a neighboring farm, on a spit. There were about twelve of them, and they were talking, laughing, and drinking spirits.

Will shook his head at this sight. _Idiots, _he thought. They should have known better than to make so much noise when they weren't exactly respecting the law. Will stepped out from behind the tree he had been peering out from and called out to the criminals.

"King's ranger!"

The group immediately stopped what they were doing and pulled out their weapons. They had heard about the rangers. They were black magicians that could lock people inside trees for all eternity. What they saw just further confirmed the rumors they had heard. The ranger appeared to be drifting in and out of their sight.

"Drop your weapons and you will not be harmed!" Will called out to them again.

Most of the bandits dropped their weapons, one either extremely brave or extremely stupid one said, "Why should we? What're you going to do to us if we don't? Turn us into logs?"

This brought courage to the other criminals who picked their weapons back up with mutters of, "Yeah, what're you going to do?"

Will sighed, they would have to do this the hard way.

"I suppose I could turn you into a pine tree," he said, but this now had no effect on the crooks besides a few slightly worried faces.

"I'd like to see you try," the brave one said. "Let's get him, boys!"

The group, charged at Will who immediately pulled out his bow and began firing arrows at them. He managed to kill five of them before they came to close and he had to resort to his knives.

The fight was a fairly easy one. It was apparent almost immediately that these men hadn't had much training. They lumbered around, flailing their weapons. Will had almost dealt with all of them, he had been knocking those he could out instead of killing them, when he heard footsteps behind him. He turned around to fend off his attacker, but too late.

One of the bandits, the brave one, he though, plunged a knife into Will's back. Will fell to his knees.

"So you aren't infallible, are you?" the bandit said before running off into the woods.

The world was spinning around will and he could feel blood trickling down his back. Black spots appeared in his vision. It felt as though in slow motion, that he fell to his side, and then everything turned to darkness.

**Back at the Gathering Grounds...**

Gilan was dreaming…

_Gilan was standing in the middle of the Gathering Grounds._

_"Gilan," a voice said. Gilan turned and saw Halt coming toward him._

_"Halt!" Gilan called out in joy but then stopped. "But you're dead, aren't you."_

_"Yes, I am, my old apprentice," Halt said. "This is just my spirit. The gods _**(1)**_ have given me the power to communicate with you through dreams. I have come to tell you that you must stop blaming Will for my death."_

_Gilan opened his mouth to say that he had every right to blame Will, but Halt silenced him by holding up his hand._

_"No, Gilan, it was not Will's fault and both of us know that. You must help him learn that he was not the cause of my death."_

_Gilan looked to the ground. Halt was right and he knew it. As Crowley had said, he had just needed somebody to blame. It was not Will's fault._

_"I must go now," Halt said starting to fade. "Keep Will safe from too much trouble."_

Gilan woke then and lay on his bedroll for several minutes minutes thinking about his dream and then his actions earlier. Had he really called Will a murderer? Will was no murderer. He had told him to leave and never come back. He had threatened to _kill _him! He couldn't believe it. How could he have ever done it?

He had failed Halt's request in his dream to keep Will safe even before he had the dream. He had failed him and now Will was out who knows where. Tears started to make there way down Gilan's face and he did not try to stop them. He had rejected the person who was like his brother and threatened to kill him.

How could he have done that?

**1) I'm going to give a guess and say that they have gods in Araluen, but I really have no idea.**

**Okay, I seriously would have continued and made this longer, but it's 12:00 am. Anywho, Gilan has stopped blaming Will, but Will, he's in trouble. He's in mortal peril. Will Gilan be able to tell Will he was sorry for blaming him before it's too late and Will dies? All very good questions that will need reviews for answers! **


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: Don't own, never have, never will.**

**A/N: Well, let's just say that my good friend Rowana bribed me with Will to update soon! And updates of my other Ranger's Apprentice fics may be slow because of the National Novel Writing Month. So…. now we shall find out what happens to Willers! *cackles* Will he live? Or will he die? Will Gilan be able to say he's sorry before it's too late? We shall see… we shall see…**

Crowley was walking towards Gilan's tent to have yet another talk with him, when he heard quiet sobbing coming from it. Could Gilan be crying? Crowley opened the tent flaps and poked his head in, and sure enough though, Gilan was sitting on his bedroll, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Gilan?" Crowley asked cautiously incase Gilan blew up again.

"How could I Crowley? How could I blame Will?" Gilan sobbed

"You were angry," Crowley said, trying to console Gilan. It shocked him that Gilan wasn't blaming Will anymore. Crowley had expected it to take much longer for Gilan to stop blaming Will for Halt's death. "You weren't thinking."

"I told him to leave! I threatened to kill him, Crowley. How could I have done that?"

Crowley didn't know what to say other than what he had already told Gilan, so he just said, "You weren't thinking clearly, Gilan."

"But I threatened to kill him! They say that words cannot hurt you, but I could see it in Will's eyes. My words hurt him. I hurt him, Crowley."

The ranger commandant had no response for this. He put his arm around Gilan in an attempt to console the grieving ranger.

They sat like that for a while, and Gilan's tears eventually ceased. Then Gilan asked, "Where is Will? I know you went after him."

"I sent him to deal with some bandits that had been camped along the Fluit River. He needed something to get his mind off things, and I didn't think that going back to Redmont was a good idea because he'd get sucked into funeral preparations for Halt."

When he saw Gilan's worried look at this statement, Crowley added, "I'm sure he'll be fine. The criminals didn't look very organized. He'll probably be done by midmorning."

Gilan then stood up, "I'm going to apologize to him."

"Make sure he comes back with you!" Crowley called after him as he left.

The sun had just risen, or at least that what it looked like since the sky was ready to open and start raining, when Gilan found the bandit's camp along the Fluit River. The grass was stained with blood and the bodies of the bandits were lying across the campsite. He did not see any sign of Will though. He must have already left. Then Gilan spotted amidst the rag-tag clothing of the dead bandits, a green and grey mottled cloak. Will!

Gilan immediately ran over, but stopped short when he saw the knife imbedded in Will's back. No! Gilan turned Will over, careful not to drive the knife deeper into Will's body. He was shocked when he saw how pale his face was, but relieved when he found his pulse. Will was alive, but he needed to get to a healer quickly if he was to survive.

Gilan carefully lifted Will into his arms, and as he did so, Will's eyes fluttered open.

"Gil?" Will asked.

"Will, you need to be gotten to a healer," Gilan said, glad to see Will's eyes open.

"No, it's too late." Will coughed, a line of blood running down his chin. "Redmont's too far away. I… I can't hold on that long."

"No! Will, you have to hold on! You can't die!"

"You wouldn't have said that last night," Will said voicing his confusion over why Gilan was there.

"I'm sorry Will! I should never have blamed you! Halt's death never was your fault! I never meant anything that I said. I'm sorry," Gilan said sadly.

"Thank you, Gilan, you always were a good friend. Now I can die knowing that I am not hated."

"No! Will, don't die!"

"Goodbye, my friend."

Will then let out his breath and didn't draw one back in. And thus Will Treaty, one of the greatest rangers in Araluen, passed.

Gilan let his head fall, tears stinging his eyes. So this is what WIll had felt like when Halt had died, helpless. Helpless to do anything to stop the death of one that was as close like your family.

This was what it was like to lose your brother. This was what it was like to be responsible for your brother's death, for if Gilan had not blamed Will, Will would never have left and he would still be alive.

Gilan carefully closed Will's eyes, "Goodbye, my friend, my brother."

The clouds opened, rain pouring from them as if the heavens too were mourning the loss of Will Treaty. Rain mingled with the tears on Gilan's cheeks as he sat hunched over Will's body. Blaze came over to Gilan and nudged Will's shoulder with his muzzle. She seemed to be asking, _is he really gone? _

Gilan reached up with one hand and stroked Blaze, unable to answer the question the horse's eyes were asking him. Was Will really gone? Yes, but Gilan could not say it. It felt as if saying it would confirm it. Confirm that Will was dead and that he had killed his brother.

The rained poured down upon Gilan, but he sat unmoving, unwilling to move from the place that Will had taken his last breath. Back at the Gathering Grounds, the rangers sat under a large canopy as the rain poured down. It was unusual that it rained on a gathering. Raindrops poured down, but instead of raining, it seemed more like weeping. Weeping for the loss of two great rangers.

It is hard to imagine sometimes, how the result of one death can lead to so many tragedies, how one person's choice can cause so many repercussions. One mistake, one choice can change the world tragically.

_~Finis~_


End file.
